An analogue solution to the problem of factorization

Report

The task of factorizing a given integer is notoriously difficult, to the extent of rendering computationally infeasible the extraction of factors of numbers beyond a certain size. This infeasibility is what makes the RSA cryptographic system, for example, secure. We describe an analogue method of factorizing. Just as with traditional algorithms, there is a practical limit to the size of numbers that the method can factorize; in contrast with traditional algorithms, however, the method suffers no increase in calculation time as the input number approaches this limit. The process described exploits a direct physical implementation of a geometric formulation of the problem of factorizing; this allows factors of numbers within the allowed range to be ascertained (or else primality guaranteed) virtually instantaneously.

Authors: Blakey, E

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Not peer reviewed
• Publisher: Oxford University Computing Laboratory
• Publication date: 2007-01-01
• Edition: Publisher's version
• Language: English
• Keywords: factorization; analogue computer
• Subjects: Computer science (mathematics)